Translation guide
The animal pig, pork as food, and figurative uses like 'dirty' or 'greedy' person.
Referring to the live animal, a pig.
Standard word for pig, both the animal and pork.
農場に豚がいる。
There are pigs on the farm.
Referring to pig meat as food.
Pork, literally 'pig meat'. Commonly used in cooking contexts.
豚肉の生姜焼きが好きです。
I like ginger pork.
Loanword 'pork', often used in dish names like ポークカレー (pork curry).
ポークソテーを注文した。
I ordered sautéed pork.
Calling someone a pig because they are untidy or filthy.
豚 can be used as an insult for a dirty person, similar to English. However, it's strong and offensive.
Directly calling someone 豚 is very rude. Use with extreme caution.
彼は部屋を片付けない。本当に豚だ。
He never cleans his room. He's such a pig.
Means 'dirty'. A less direct way to describe someone's messiness without the animal comparison.
彼は汚いね。
He's dirty, isn't he?
Calling someone a pig because they eat too much or are greedy.
Means 'big eater' or 'glutton'. A common way to describe someone who eats a lot, without the strong insult of 'pig'.
彼女は大食いだ。
She's a big eater.
Literally 'eat like a pig'. Can be used but sounds very direct and insulting.
This is a strong insult. Use only in very informal, joking contexts among close friends.
彼は豚のように食べる。
He eats like a pig.
Derogatory slang for police.
Slang for police, derived from 警察 (けいさつ). Equivalent to 'cop' or 'pig' in derogatory sense.
サツが来た。
The pigs are here.
Slang for police, from English 'police'. Can be derogatory like 'pig'.
あのポリに気をつけろ。
Watch out for that pig.
Crude iron from a blast furnace.
Technical term for pig iron. Not commonly known outside industrial contexts.
銑鉄は製鋼の原料だ。
Pig iron is a raw material for steelmaking.
Calling someone 豚 (pig) is a strong insult in Japanese, similar to English. It implies they are dirty, greedy, or disgusting. Use only in very informal settings with close friends, and even then it can be offensive. Safer alternatives exist for describing messy or gluttonous behavior.
彼は豚だ。
He is a pig.
A more playful term for someone who loves to eat, like 'foodie' or 'glutton'. Less harsh than 'pig'.
うちの子は食いしん坊で、いつも何か食べている。
My kid is a little pig, always eating something.